Container for cigarettes and the like



March 26, 1935.

' J. F. ZAYAS CONTAINER FOR GIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Filed May 3, 1934Patented Mar. 26, 1935 illTE STATES I 1,995,556 CONTAINER FOR cIoRE'rTEs AND, THE

. LIK

Jos Fernandez Zayas, Habana, Cuba I Application May s, 1934, Serial'InCuba July 23, 1933 2 Claims. (01. 206-41) This invention relates tocontainers for cigarettes or similargoods such as matches,toothpicks,etc.,andparticularly to cigarette containers, and it has forits object the provision of certain improvements in the construction ofsame whereby the units of the article lodged within the container can beautomatically removed by the consumer one or several at a time, withoutaffecting the remainder of the content.

The invention is described with reference to the figures of theaccompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank used to form the slide of the improvedcontainer.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank used to form the outer shell of theimproved container.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank represented in Fig. 1, withits portions folded and gummed to form the slide filled up, forinstance, with cigarettes.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the blank represented in Fig. 2, withits portions folded and gummed to form the outer shell of the container.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the whole container as formed by theinsertion of the slide into the outer shell.

Fig. 6 is a partly cut exterior View showing a modified position of theslide and outer shell, to illustrate the automatic removal of a,cigarette.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top View of the outlet end of the container toshow how the cigarette being removed lifts one of the holding andguidformed at the end of the slide.

And Fig. 8 is a vertical section view of the slide, showing a springadapted to push the cigarettes toward the side wherefrom they are to beremoved.

This container is composed of a slide adapted to contain such goods ascigarettes, matches, tooth picks, etc., and of a shell open at both endsand in which is inserted the slide which is slidable within the shellwhen pushed by the hand of the consumer in the same manner as in many ofthe cigarette containers, atpresent used. Figs. 1 and 2 show the blanksof cardboard or strawboard as provided with folding lines for itsdivision into parts which, upon being folded and gummed one to eachothenformthe slide 1 and the outer shell 2 which for not formingthemselves a part of the invention, will not be described in detail astheir construction will be readily understood from the drawing.

The slide 1 which is provided at both ends with flaps 3 partly coveringthe content, has at the side 4 a cut adjacent to an angular cut 5 formedin the rear portion 6, and which extends to the end 7 and the lower flap3, whereby it is formed in the slide, upon the. i 3), a lower lateralslot :8 the. width of which will always be lessthan thewidth of oneofthe units of the" contentsfas shown in Fig. 3 in which the two sidecigarettes 9 project into the slot 8 but their lower ends bear thermore,the other end 10 of the slide shows longitudinally aligned with the slot8, two opposed hinged flaps 11 and 12 forming holding and guiding meansfor the cigarette 9 when this is removed from the slide, as shown inFigs. 6 and '1.

The shell 2, which is open at both'ends and which shows in its front 13and rear portion 14 semicircular slots '15 to facilitate the push of theslide 1 by the fingers, shows at the lower edge of its sldelfi adjacentto the slotted side 4 of the slide 1, a flap 1'7 projecting from thebody of said side and the end portions 17 of which are adapted to befolded and gumrned respectively upon the front 13 and upon therearportion 14,-

to form an inner catch against which the units of the contents which maybe adjacent to the side 16 will abut and be held thereupon.

parts thereof being folded 5 upon the end '7. "Fur- In placing the slide1 within the shell 2, the

lateral slot 8 of the slide will stand'directly. above the catch 17, sothat if the slide 1 is pushed downward, the cigarette or the twocigarettes 9 occupying the inner space adjacent to the side 4 will abutat one end against the catch 17 and will be held by same, and cause atthe other end to open one or both hinged flaps 1'1 and 12, and thecigarette or cigarettes 9 will remain held by said flaps 11 and 12 andcarried by same when the slide 1 be pushed again, but now in a contrarydirection, to return it to its normal position within the shell 2. Insuch arrangement, the cigarette or cigarettes will come out from theshell.2,' as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the drawing, thusenabling the consumer to remove them from the container.

The slide 1 could be provided witha sheet spring bent in zig-zag' l8,placed near the side oppositeto the side 4,to force the contents to beheld in contact with the side 4, but such spring is not necessary, as itWill be sufficient to mainautomati- 1 to the shell 2, but such re- 7unit or in two or more, according to the position of the units in theiradjacent rows within the slide.

This container can be also made of leather, wood, metal or any othermaterial which would be suitable for the purposes.

What I claim is? 1. A containen fon cigarettes andthelike', comprising avslide," an outer shell open at bothaends and within which is insertedthe slide, the slide having a slotted section at one side which extendsto an end of the slide, two opposed hinged flaps cut at the other end ofthe slideand loi'igi-tudin'a'lly aligned with the slotted section ofsame, and an inner catch projecting from the side ofnthe shell adjacentto the slotted side of the slide, so that said catch may hold one orseveral unitsr ofiythe contents in the slide upon the latter beingpushed out from the slotted end of the .shellgand upon the slidereturning torits normal position iwithin theshell;the'hingedzfiapszofthes'lide may carry saidtuniteor units heldsbyxthe catch outside; of theshell: for: removal tby the? consumer.

2. A container for cigarettes and the like, com

prising a slide, an outer shell open at both ends and within which isinserted the slide, the slide having a slotted section at one side whichsection extends to an end of the slide and is of a smaller width thanthe width of a unit of the contents, two opposed hinged flaps out at theother end of the slide and longitudinally aligned with the slottedsectionzof same, an inner catch formed by a strip projecting from theside of the shell adjacent to the slotted section of the slide and theend portions of which are folded and stuck -=upon'--the front and therear portion of the shell, --so that the catch may hold one or-severalunits ..of ...the .contentsz in the slide upon the latter being pushedout from the slotted end of the -she1l; and'-upon the slide returning toits normal position within the shell, the hinged flaps of theslide-may-vcarrysaid unit or units held by the catch outside of theshell for removal by the con- 20 sumer.

. ZJOSE UEERNANDEZ 1 ZAYAS.

